Envelope



Aug. 30, 1927 s. MJAITELLI ENV LOPE Filed Dec. 22. 1 926 ,INVENTOR.

/ ATTORNEYS."

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES srLvIo u. AITELLI, or

PATENT oF lc nwnx, saw my.

anymore Application filed December 'The invention relates to an improved envelope, paper wrapper or other mail cover having a self-contained opening means.

The invention has for its principal ob- -ject to ,provide a novel construction, arrangement ahd relation of fabric tearing strip in combination with the body of an envelope,

paper wrapper or other mail cover; and the invention consists in providing the body of the envelope or other mail cover with an open slot, in alignment with which, and so IS to beattached to the inner surface of said body in the location of said slot,.is provided a fabric tearing strip, having stone or both ends exteriorly projectin tabs extending through an'end or ends o the slot so'as to be accessible to the fingers of the operator in opening the envelope or the like; the longitudinal. margins of the slot providing guides against which the tearing action is exercised to longitudinally disrupt the stri and thus remove the portion thereofwhic normally closes the open slot of the body of the envelope or the like.

Theinvention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a'rear face view of-a closed envelope, the closing or sealing flap of which is provided with the novel openinghmeans, made according to and embodying t e rinciples of this invention; Figure 2 is a agmentary rear face view, with the sealing flap open, and showing the fabric tearingin operative connection with th inner face thereof; Figure 3 is a longitudl a1 section, taken on line 33 in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4 in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 55 in Figure 1, Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear face viewof a closed envelope, showing the manner of disrupting the tearing strip to open the same and Figure 7 is a fragmen-' with the usual closing or sealing flap 11c In one form or eigbodiment'of my invention as, 1920. Serial Io. 158,488

the novel openin means is provided in connection withsai closin or sealing flap 11 ase so as to extend longitu inally of the thereof ad'acent to its junction with the envelo y 10. In such location, thebody of t e flap 11 is provided with a longitudinal open slot 12, the ends 13 of which terminate adjacent to-the outer ends of the flap body, and the longitudinal edges 14'of which are spaced apart an appreciable distance, preferably so as 'to provide a slot of approximately one-eighth of an inch in width. I

The reference character 15 indicates a tearing strip made of a plain woven fabric with t e warp and weft respectively running longitudinally and transversely of the strip, so that the body of the strip may be easily disrupted longitudinally. Thisstrip 15 is of a width appreciably greater than the width of the open. slot 12 of the envelope flap, and also of a length exceeding sa1d slot, sothat when applied to the latter and aligned with the s 0t 12 it overlaps the bounding marginal portions thereof; Said over the open slot 12 in the wall of the lat-* ter. The strip is provided -at one orboth extremities with a tongueor tab 16 of a width approximating the width of the slot 12, the same being'formed by longitudinal incisions extending inwardly from the end or ends of the stri is inserted throng the adjacent end of the slot -12 to project exteriorly from the same, and, so as to normally lie upon the outer face of the flap 11, thus providing a 'finger piece accessible to and engageable by the I gers of the operator when it is desired to disrupt the tearing strip to open the en- ,velope. I

In manipulating a closed and sealed en: velope which is provided with the above denovel construction of opening means, the operator grasps an exteriorly projectin ton e or tab 16, and pullsoutward y an bacfivardl The incisions V igion the same.

bounding an definin the sides of the ton e or tab .16 provi efinitial lines of tear or isru tion substantially in line with the longitudlnal ed of the slot 12, so that as the tongue or- 16 is pulled-outwardl and backwardly, a portion a: of the strip wil tear bodilv a'waytherefrom, the longitudinal sides which tongue or tab 16 of the slot 12, as reenforced by the adhering I underlying marginal portions of the strip,

forming guides or straight edge abutments against which the tearing action is exercised. As the result of such manipulation, the strip (I is disrupted andthe part a: isbodily torn away therefrom, lea'vingthe slot 12 freely open to communication with the interior of the envelope, whereby access to the contents thereof and removal of the same therefrom is attained.

From the above description it will be obvious Irhave provided a very simple and easily manipulated opening means for envelopes, which is nevertheless in its initial state a reenforcement rather than'a weakening of the envelope structure. The normal arrangement of the opening strip assures dental tearing, and yet by reasonof its novel association and relation to the pre-formed slot of the envelope, may-be readily disruptedoby a proper manipulation thereof in the nanner above pointed out. It will be obvious that the slot-' and its associated tearing strip may be variously 10- catedirelative to the envelo e body or its parts; for example, it may e directly related to the body of the envelo e in a transverse relation toan end thereo as shown in Figure 'l, or it may be otherwise located and rellated to any other desired part of the en;

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It will also be apparent that my present invention may be applied to forms of mail covers other than envelopes, such, for example, as paper wrappers, mailing tubes, etc.

00d of accidentally tearing 0 en the Alterations in construction and arrangement, other than those above referred to, may be comprised within the scope of my invention; hence I do not limit myself to the exact details and arrangements above described and as shown in the accompanying drawings except in so far as may be required by the appended claims.

1. The combination with the body of a mail cover of an opening means, comprising the provision in said body of a slot having spaced longitudinal edges, a fabric tearing strip of greater width than said slot and exceeding the same in length, said strip be ing adhesively secured to the inner side of said body to normally close said slot, and an 'end' of said strip being longitudinally incised coincident to the sides of the slot to form ariorly projected through the adjacent end of said slot, the longitudinal edges of said slot providing guides against which the strip may be bodily disrupted and a portion thereof removed to open up said slot.

2. An, envelope having in a portion there-' of an open slot of appreciable width, a fabric tearing strip of a width and length exceeding the dimensions of said slot, said strip being adhesively securedto the inner side of the envelope along the marginal portions bordering the slot thereof to close overthe gripping tongue, said tongue being eXte-- latter, and the ends of said strip being longiv tudinally incised coincident to the sides of said slot to form tongues respectively exteriorly projected through the opposite ends of said slot, the longitudinal edges of said slot providing guides against which the strip may be bodily disrupted and 'a portion thereof removed to open up said slot.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of December, 1926.

SlLVIO M. AITELLI. 

